A Clear Monken Change? Or Was It Something Else?
September 11th, 2018
“I’ll have none of that Dirk and you’re going to like it.”
Joe nearly wept on the Buccaneers’ opening drive Sunday.
A common sense element was restored to the Bucs offense.
Hallelujah!
Dirk Koetter says who the playcaller is doesn’t matter in Tampa. It’s a group effort. It’s not a story. It’s just chatter.
Baloney!!
Koetter knows better and Bucs fans recall the name “Jeff Jagodzinski.” Remember him? He’s the 2009 offensive coordinator who was handpicked by Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris but was fired before the season because it turned out he literally didn’t know how to be a playcaller.
It was one of the greatest bonehead moves in the history of the Bucs franchise.
Anyway, Koetter has been very clear when Jameis Winston quarterbacked the team that he didn’t have any desire to run a quarterback sneak. Not happening, Koetter volunteered last year.
““We’ve just chosen to put the ball in the hands of the professional runners,” Koetter said of his short-yardage decision with his Bucs teams. Koetter added coaches “have sound reasoning behind it.”
Fast-forward to Sunday, and there are the Bucs on their opening drive. It’s 3rd-and-1 and there’s no sign of an audible. Ryan Fitzpatrick barks out the signals, keeps the ball, and runs right up the butts of Ryan Jensen and Ali Marpet.
First down!!!
The last QB sneak Joe can recall? That was in Miami last season, again with Fitzpatrick at QB, but it was from the Bucs’ 1 yard line, so likely a clear effort to get breathing room.
Those facts smell to Joe like either Monken likes the QB sneak a lot more than Koetter, or the team’s offensive gurus don’t think Jameis is as well suited to the task as his 35-year-old understudy.
Either way, Joe loved Sunday’s call.
September 11th, 2018 at 9:10 am
It was one of the greatest bonehead moves in the history of the Bucs franchise.
The biggest bonehead move was drafting Bo Jackson #1 overall when he told you, “don’t draft me, I won’t play in Tampa.”
I can’t think of a bigger bonehead move than losing the #1 overall pick for nothing!
September 11th, 2018 at 9:26 am
Monken MAGIC
September 11th, 2018 at 9:26 am
Monken proved he should be the playcaller. This offense never looked so good even during pre-season. It is our only chance of winning is to score more points and keep the defense off the field.
September 11th, 2018 at 9:27 am
play calling was excellent the entire time….kept the saints off balance…..for the first time in a long time even I didn’t know what was coming…..
defense still has a ton of work to do…..goal was to go 1-0…..mission accomplished…..now lets start a streak…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES….GO BUCS!!!!
September 11th, 2018 at 9:28 am
The biggest bonehead move was hiring Mark Dominick as General Manager…..the second biggest is keeping Dominick as GM.
September 11th, 2018 at 9:29 am
I would like to think Koeter would call a QB sneak now that he has the personnel on the line to keep the QB safe.
September 11th, 2018 at 9:35 am
Bo Jackson? “hold my beer” says Booker Reese. Bo only cost us one #1.
September 11th, 2018 at 9:37 am
@DaPostman, I think letting Doug Williams walk away was equally boneheaded, call it a tie for first?
September 11th, 2018 at 9:37 am
Didn’t the newly hired defensive coordinator also get fired mid season 2009 along with the Offensive coordinator before the season?
At 6’4″ and 230something lbs – you would think Winston would be good at QB sneaks when only need a yard or less is needed. He sneaked for short yardage successfully at FSU a # of tmes
Seems to me that Dirk does not trust Jameis in this situation for some reason. I can’t ever recall Winston running a called sneak on 3rd or 4th and short like we saw Fitz run Sunday.
September 11th, 2018 at 9:50 am
How about trading a #1 for Chris chandler, or even better jack”the throwing samoan” thompson. Lol
September 11th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Yes, Monken did an outstanding job… BUT keep this in mind Saints had ZERO tape on Monken’s tendencies. He had very limited experience calling plays prior to Sunday. That being said it will be very interesting to see how the offense progresses through the season.
September 11th, 2018 at 10:04 am
THat truly is a mystery. Jameis has shown he is a capable runner, maybe not the fastest, but capable! Surely capable of going straight forward.
September 11th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Maybe, Koetter also got into Sean Payton’s head a little bit when he refused to say who would be the play caller before the game.
I don’t why he was still reluctant to talk about it in his first press conference after them game. He seemed quite comfortable with it in the one he held yesterday. (I too applaud his decision and give him credit for setting his ego aside for the betterment of the team.)
Even Fitz managed to have a little fun with the subject in his appearance after the game. There seems to be something more to it than anyone has reported so far.
I am bemused but, getting a kick out of it. :-Q
________________
Go Bucs!!! No excuses!
September 11th, 2018 at 10:07 am
Meant to say “I don’t know why he was still reluctant”
September 11th, 2018 at 10:10 am
My impression is not that Koetter doubts JW’s ability to convert to the first down, rather that he sees no reason to risk the health of the most important player on the team.
I’ve always disagreed with that philosophy. I think playing scared is more dangerous to a player’s health than just letting it go and play football. Yes the QB’s are there for their arms but running is a component in my mind and not just avoiding sacks. That was a HUGE part of Sunday’s success! Fitz ran with reckless abandon and clearly does not share Koetter’s conservative philosophy when it comes to QB’s running the ball.
JW is a big dude…I don’t want him going all Cam Newton and trying to truck DL but he can easily run while keeping his safety in mind…Fitz is faster for sure but JW may be more elusive. Both really help our O when they run in the right spots.
Perhaps now that we’re at least two deep with an adequate backup DK won’t be as cautious with #3. And if Griffin keeps improving we are DEEP at QB.
Let Jameis run.
September 11th, 2018 at 10:35 am
If the yards are there take them….common sense.
Now.I want to see what we do when philly doesn’t give us those bug plays. Will our tail hacks be catching some.passes? That s another element that dissaapeared last season
September 11th, 2018 at 11:20 am
That last Fitz run to seal the win was priceless. What.. punked Peyton wasn’t expecting the possibility? Koetter styling it with that back of the head point. Pluck the Eagles!
September 11th, 2018 at 11:35 am
“The Saints game planned their defense against Fitz 3 games played last year with Koetter as playcaller….
Monken and his 1 read plays had the Saints head spinning all game long”
“The Bucs MUST play JW3 when he comes back and QB under Monkens playcalling. The franchise will be able to see with doubt that JW is or is not our franchise QB”
“Fitz under Monkens playcalling has created a baseline. JW even played better than Fitz in the preseason. Can JW3 perform the same as Fitz under Monkens direction?”
There was a Poster here who not in 2018, nor 2017 but in the 2016 season that begged, pleaded and sacrificed himself to have another playcaller than Klueless”
Kobe Faker
September 11th, 2018 at 12:06 pm
^ that same poster also swore he was leaving permanently after being wrong for like 25th time in a row!
Yet here you are…
September 11th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
All hail Monken.
From the preseason to game one I have never seen the offense look so good. During games I throw remotes, kick the coffee table, and rant to high hell about the terrible play calling. Since Monken took over as play caller I cannot recall getting angry once. The only thing bucnation needs to worry about now is Monken being too good and getting headcoach offers after this season.
Koetter can now focus on personnel, game flow, and how to fire Mike Smith. But seriously minus the eight game stint when Conte was out and Tandy and Hargreaves were calling out coverages our defense has been atrocious.
September 11th, 2018 at 2:19 pm
I think if Jameis weren’t susceptible to fumbling his number would be called more often.
September 11th, 2018 at 5:10 pm
Great point joe just another example of Koetter not utilizing jw to the fullest.
Jw – 171 yards rushing per season
Fitz – 159 yards per season
And let’s not forget how Koetter loves to brag about Fitz 2k yards rushing.
Truth is jw can run just as well as Cam but we won’t see jw run an RPO anytime soon.
September 11th, 2018 at 9:00 pm
I love Monken’s play calling.
Biggest Buc Boner of all time: The Little General….Greg Schiano.